Apparatus for cleaning eggs



July 12, 1938.

E. C. WHIPPLE APPARATUS FOR CLEANING EGGS Filed June 11, 19:56

Patented July 12, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

The cleaning of eggs in their preparation for the market is a delicate procedure because of the fragile nature of the article. Various methods have been proposed but many of these methods have involved the use of liquids. Poultry authorities have discouraged the use 01' liquids, even water. Other methods proposed have involved the use of complicated and expensive apparatus which has resulted in high percentage of breakage.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus whereby eggs may be cleaned easily and quickly.

It is a further object to provide an apparatus for effectively cleaning eggs with less danger of breakage than has heretofore been possible and without the use of liquids.

Before explaining in detail the present invention it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawing, since the invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also it is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation, and it is not intended to limit the invention claimed herein beyond the requirements of the prior art.

The invention will be more clearly understood from the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which,

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view, partly in section, 'of an apparatus embodying the invention, and

Fig. 2 is an end elevatlonal view of the same.

The embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawing comprises a support i suitably fixed upon a floor or other foundation II by screws II. The support l0 carries an electric motor 13 upon the armature shaft H of which a receptacle I5 is suitably fixed by a screw l6. Preferably, the container I5 is a hard fiber container of hollow cylindrical form having one end open and provided with an inwardly extending lip i1. Within the container II is suitably arranged a relatively compact yet resilient mass is of steel wool. It will be understood, however. that other material having similar characteristics and properties may be substituted for the steel wool. Mass of steel wool l8 adjacent the open end of the container i6 preferably is provided with a recess I! of such shape and size as to be adapted to engage substantially one-half the surface of an egg when the latter is inserted endwise therein through the open end of the receptacle.

' In the operation of the apparatus, power is supplied to the motor to rotate the armature shaft l4 and the receptacle It, thus causing rotation of the mass of steel wool l8 about an extension 01 the axis of the armature shaft ll. One end of an egg is then inserted through the open end of the container l5 and into the recess I! to permit the steel wool to clean the 10 surface of the egg in engagement therewith. The egg is then removed and the opposite end inserted into the recess i0 and cleaned in a similar manner. It will beJunderstood that the shape and size of the recess l9 and the rcl5 siliency of the mass of steel wool is such as to permit at least one-half the surface of the egg .to be engaged by the steel woo The resiliency of the mass of steel wool also is such as to permit it to conform with any irregularities in the go shape or the ends of eggs to effectively clean the same and at the same timenot exert such a pressure upon the shell of the egg as to cause breakage. Preferably the depth of the steel wool mass is made much greater than half the major axis of the egg, 1. e., is made greater than the length of the egg as shown in Figure 1 so that any pressure of the egg against the mass of steel wool can be taken up by the resilient bulk of material behind the egg.

An apparatus of the general character described has been found suitable for cleaning eggs in the course of their preparation for the market and is of such a character that the eggs may be subjected to the cleaning operation without special care of the operator to prevent breakage.

It also efl'ects satisfactory cleaning of the eggs without the use if any liquids whatsoever, an expedient which has been used heretofore and which has been discouraged by poultry authori- 40 ties.

What I claim is:

An apparatus for cleaning eggs comprising a rotatable hollow elongated cylinder, the length of said cylinder being much greater than one half the major axis of an average hen's e88, one end of said cylinder being closed, means connected to said closed end for rotating the cylinder about its axis, the opposite end of said cylinder having an opening slightly greater in diameter than the to minor axis of the egg, a resilient mass of steel wool positioned in said cylinder from end to end thereof, said mass having a recess at one end in registration with said opening, said recess being of helm-ellipsoidal shape conforming, in general,

to the helm-ellipsoidal surface of the egg to provide an abrading surface of such dimensions as to receive at least one half 0! an e88, the depth of the steel wool mass behind the recess being such as not to exert such a pressure-upon the shell oi the egg'when the same is pressed thereacainst as to cause breakage thereo! and the contour of the abrading surface beiu: such as to 4 react substantially at right angles to the engaging surface of an egg pressed-thereagainat duringthe operation or the apparatus whereby elf-,-

fectively to clean the egg, without breakage thereof, irrespectively of any variation in its contour.

' EARLE 

